Electors in the City of Middleton approved the city creating a storm water utility in yesterday's election.  As a result, the City need not reduce its allowable property tax levy by the amount of storm water utility fees it collects. 

Referendums to exceed levy limits in the following five other municipalities across the state failed:  

Fairchild, Janesville, Sturtevant, Weston, and West Salem. 

Municipal leaders in Janesville and Weston intended to use the additional tax revenue to fund  transportation related services.  In Janesville, the focus was on street maintenance.  In Weston, it was bus service.  

Since 2005, when levy limits were first imposed, voters have approved exceeding levy limits in only sixteen city, village and town referenda. Neither DOR nor the League has tracked the total number of municipal referendums to exceed levy limits since 2005.

Providing municipalities with more flexibility under levy limits is one of the goals of the League's Partnership for Prosperity agenda for the upcoming legislative session. The Partnership for Prosperity agenda is posted on the League's Website here.